Illinois confused about its budget mess

A Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University poll shows what happens when a population gets too comfortable with big, expensive government.

The poll showed that Illinois favors a tax increase but only on "the rich," and thinks that spending should be cut, but only for highly-paid government employee salaries.

The poll showed 73% of voters rejected spending cuts on services for the needy and 65% reject cuts for state worker pensions. The Illinois comptroller says the state has a $1.8 billion backlog in current bills.

In their panic, expect massive tax increases for the people in Illinois. It would help if their vast problems served as a canary in the big-government coal mine for Kentuckians.

Thanks to Americans for Tax Reform for passing this along.